The present invention relates to a liner system incorporated into a flame resistant coat as used by firefighters as well as rescue and emergency services personnel. Such coats include an outer shell having a body portion, sleeve portions and a collar portion. It is necessary to ensure that water-tight integrity is maintained at the juncture of the outer shell and the collar portion thereof to prevent the personnel using the coat from getting wet when fighting fires where large amounts of water may splash onto the coat.
The liner system includes an outer moisture barrier and an inner thermal barrier which are conventionally stitched together such that they cannot be readily separated from one another when one of the barriers is damaged and needs to be replaced. As a result, when one of the barriers is damaged, the entire liner may be thrown away. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein the two barriers may be readily detached from one another to replace one of the barriers with a new one which in turn can be readily attached to the other original barrier.
When the liner system is wet, either from use in a fire environment or from being laundered, it is necessary to thoroughly dry the liner, and accordingly another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which allows air to circulate between the barriers in a superior manner to reduce drying time.
When the liner is removed from the coat to launder the liner, it is desirable to prevent contaminates from entering the space between the barriers and to protect the moisture barrier substrate from abrasion as a result of coming into contact the hooks on the fastening portion carried by the moisture barrier.